Sarvodaya Nepal Earthquake Relief and Recovery

The massive earthquake in Nepal on April 25, 2015 has many of us wondering what we can do to help. The devastation resulting from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake is tremendously affecting rural villages. Our concern and compassion for all the people of Nepal and surrounding countries will need to convert to thoughtful action for both immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts that address the most vulnerable communities.

Sarvodaya USA is accepting donations for our sister organization, Sarvodaya Nepal. Sarvodaya Nepal is a grassroots organization founded by former Sarvodaya USA Executive Director Shisir Khanal. Shisir and his wife Swasti Shrestha have dedicated their energy to address the education crisis through the Teach for Nepal program (TFN) which places recent Nepali graduates in underserved schools. Our TFN Fellows are highly trained community organizers and teachers who live and serve in remote areas that other agencies cannot access.

We have heard from Shisir and we know that he and Swasti are safe. However, on the day after the earthquake, Shisir traveled to Shikharpa, a village about three hours south of Kathmandu where two TFN fellows worked. There he found widespread destruction to houses and to the school. Tragically, one of the TFN fellows was killed in the earthquake, and the other was injured; Shisir brought him back to a hospital in Kathmandu for treatment. He reports that TFN fellows in other villages are describing severe damage, destruction, injury, and death in the communities where they work.

Shikharpa is well known to many Wisconsin residents, as it has hosted several Quest Nepal and University of Wisconsin Global Health trips. The Sarvodaya Nepal Relief and Recovery effort will focus on assistance to similar village areas.

Although most of the media coverage so far has focused on the situation in the urban centers of the Kathmandu Valley, most of Nepal’s 24 million people live in rural areas. Many of these areas are difficult to get to under the best conditions, but the earthquake has already made them more isolated by completely destroying roads or creating landslides that are blocking roads and even footpaths to the areas.

The best use of your donation is to give to an organization already active on the ground. Your contribution goes directly towards assisting families and communities affected by this tragedy.